HALLOWEEN FUN FOR DINNER

If you need a fun Halloween dinner idea this one is for you.  I remember having dinners like this in my youth but we called them something different but now I believe we would call them Mystery Dinners.  The items on the menu are named mystery names so you don't know exactly what you are getting but that is what makes it so fun.    There are many ways to do this but this is the one I came up with for a recent high school dance for my daughter and her group.   It is easy to adapt to a family.

Menu:

I am including the word document I printed off to make the menus-

WELCOME TO A

SPOOKTACULAR

Dining Experience

APPETIZER-

 Please choose ONE of the following choices and write the number on the order paper provided:

1)           Troll Bogies

2)          Corpse Extremities

3)           Frankenstein’s Teeth with Dragon Scales

 DESSERT-

Please choose ONE of the following choices and write the number on the order paper provided:

 

1)     Disections Glory

2)    Cemetery Plots

3)    Ghosts in the Graveyard

 ENTRÉE-

Please choose the ORDER of your ENTRÉE dishes and put it on the order paper provided:

1)           Devil’s Inferno

2)          Ground Grasshoppers & Werewolf  Nails

3)          Road Kill Thrill

4)          Vampire Stakes

5)          Slimy Swamp Grass

Some frightening fun while you wait…

1)             Why did the skeleton go the party alone?

2)            What road has the most ghosts haunting it?

3)            What position does a ghost play in soccer?

4)            What room is useless for a ghost?

5)            Why are vampires tough to get along with?

RIDDLES:

1-It’s right behind you…creeps on the ground, follows you home

Does not make a sound-better turn around-

What is it?

2-“Look at you,” the old witch said.

“You’re no use to me till I cut off your head!”

Where is the witch and what/who is she talking to?

 

I burned the edges with a lighter and then added spider webbing for effect.
I included order papers on the bottom of each menu so they could put their name and selections on it. 

Here are the food items that go with each Spooky name:
APPETIZERS:
                        TROLL BOGIES  (purple jigglers cut into cubes)

 

 

CORPSE EXTREMITIES (apple sliced lengthwise and thin for palm of hand, banana sliced into thin strips for fingers, red grapes cut lengthwise for fingernails)

FRANKENSTEIN TEETH WITH DRAGON SCALES (Ritz crackers for scales and orange cheese cut into long cubes for teeth)

ENTREES:
DEVILS INFERNO (any type of red drink (we used cranberry juice) with small chunk of dry ice in it)

ROAD KILLTHRILL (parmesan chicken, use Tyson frozen breaded breasts, add hot marinara sauce to top after completely cooked, turn off oven but leave in oven and add shredded mozzarella cheese)
SLIMY SWAMP GRASS (Fettuccine Alfredo)
                            Recipe for delicious Alfredo sauce:
                                   Bring to boil stirring constantly:  1/2 C butter
                                                                                         1 C heavy cream
                                                 Then add 3/4 freshly grated parmesan cheese
                                                 (Not the Kraft jar kind or pregrated, it does
                                                   not melt right)
                                    Stir until smooth and cheese is completely melted.
                                    Add salt and pepper to taste.
GROUND GRASSHOPPERS & WEREWOLF NAILS (Olive Garden type salad with black olives as the nails.  Sam's Club sales Olive Garden dressing and croutons so it really tastes just like it .. )
VAMPIRE STAKES (breadsticks)

DESSERTS:
DISECTIONS GLORY (cake balls, dipped in white chocolate and painted to look like iris)

CEMETERY PLOTS (brownie square in bottom of cup with chocolate pudding on top then add crushed oreos and gummy worms)

GHOSTS IN THE GRAVEYARD (rectangle graham crackers standing up with the help of a little frosting with marshmellow dipped in chocolate for a Smore effect)

We served the dinner one course at a time and the kids loved it.  All ages of children would enjoy this, it was a big hit even for high schoolers.

Here are the answers to the Frightening Fun section:
1) Because he couldn't find any body to go with him
2) Dead End
3) Ghoulie
4) A living room
5) Because they can be a pain in the neck

Riddles:
1) Your Shadow
2) She's in the garden talking to a cabbage

                                       

 

 

Best pancakes EVER! Perfect for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

If you really want to make people happy...

Make these pancakes!

Once you do you will be asked over and over again to make them for all kinds of events,

get togethers and functions.

 

 

 

GINGERBREAD PANCAKES WITH BUTTERMILK SYRUP

 

1 1/2 C flour

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 egg

1 1/4 C milk

1/4 C molasses

3 TBL oil

 

Mix all dry ingredients together.  In a separate bowl mix egg, milk, molasses and oil together.

Combine dry and wet ingredients together and mix until blended.  Cook on hot griddle.  Serve with Buttermilk syrup.

 

P.S. I double or triple this recipe for my family of 7.  I have made this for a crowd of 95 (14 x's it) and a basketball team of 25 (5 x's it)I .  For a function where you have to feed lots of people this is great to premix and store in an icecream bucket and refrigerate until needed.  

 

BUTTERMILK SYRUP

 

2 C sugar

2 C buttermilk

! C butter

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 c corn syrup

 

Combine all ingredients (except vanilla) in a BIG POT-this is an 8 quart pot (it will swell up very high so make it in a large pot).  Bring to a boil, stirring more than occasionally but less than constantly.  Continue to stir and boil until a carmel  color.  (It will boil up and then go back down) Remove from heat and add vanilla. 

Serve on pancakes and/or over icecream. 

This is the syrup when it is boiling up.  Obviously not done as it is not a carmel color.

 

January Joy with Waffles

I heard on the radio that, today, the first Monday back to school and the first day of work, after the holidays is the most depressing day of the year. 

Then I thought about my last post and the topic of JOY and wondered how in just two short weeks we can lose the JOY of the season and go straight to depression!  I know it's because all the excitement, anticipation, decorations, festivities, days off, and gatherings are over but life gets back into it's routine and we can take JOY in a fresh new perspective.

The wonderful thing about the JOY of Christmas is that comes from thinking about and focusing on our Savior Jesus Christ. So, if we want that to continue we must continue in our effort and focus on thinking about Him and do what He would do.

Continue to serve others, be extra kind and giving, and JOY will come. 

We can also look at our lives and decide ONE way to better ourselves or a way to feel anticipation or excitement in the new year such as- 
Forgive someone
Organize a closet
Let someone go ahead of you in line
Be a courteous driver
Say thank you more, or I Love You
Read your children two books instead of one
Learn to make a new recipe 
Plan a fun family dinner with a theme

These are simple things that have a low failure rate so we don't have to beat ourselves up about already not keeping our long list of New Year's Resolutions. 

If you have teenagers, one IDEA that might be fun to start with the new year is FEED them lunch one day during the school week and invite their friends. 

I started doing this several years ago when my oldest son was a junior in high school and he and his friends had their driver's licenses and could come home during lunch.  I got the idea from a Women's Conference speaker, Margaret Nadauld many years before that when my kids were still in elementary school and I just kept it in my mind waiting for the time I could do it. It has been a great JOY in my life.  Over the years I have continued to do it for all my children in high school and it is a wonderful opportunity to be around my children's friends and listen to their conversations over lunch. 

As a parent you are really able to understand what is important to them and what things are "hot topic," at high school and get to know their friends better.  Many times on weekends when they "hang out," they go from house to house and we don't get the opportunity to see and hear what we can during that special lunch time. 

 

It started with once a week but feeding a large group of teenagers gets very expensive so I cut back to twice a month and try to do less expensive foods.  Also it's nice because other parents take days during the week and the boys look forward to each house. One friend has pancake Friday and the boys really love that.  Another friend has Fiesta Friday and always has a Mexican theme to the menu. For my oldest son and daughter the lunch menu changed each time. However, for my son, that is a senior now, the boys have come to demand waffles and waffles only.  In fact they insisted that I make them when I fed the Davis High football team a lunch one day. 

I have a special recipe for waffles and it seems to be a great hit.  My children love it and my daughter loved it so much that we had waffle bar at her wedding.  (I'll share that idea at a later date.) 

So here's the recipe:
This makes 16 waffles and I usually have to double it

4 C waffle/pancake mix (I use Krusteaz from Sam's Club, it's the best deal)
2 C cornmeal
1 C oil
About 2 C water-get to a consistency you like, add more water if like it thinner

My kids love that I make the waffles on this special heart shaped waffle iron.  I have two of them and purchased them from Amazon.  They are Kalorik brand.  Having two makes the waffle cooking go pretty efficiently. 

Now the key to amazing, over the top, waffles is homemade syrup.  Hopefully the only thing we are snobby about in our family is syrup and ranch dressing.  In our opinion both have to be homemade or they really aren't worth eating.

Here is the homemade Maple syrup recipe-straight from the Mapeline box I might add:

For every 1 C of water Add 2 C of sugar.  Bring to a boil, stir and add 1/2 capful Maple flavor. Stir and serve warm. 

Here is another delightful syrup recipe that we also served at the wedding:

Buttermilk/Vanilla syrup:
In a large pan-it will bubble way up- combine...
1 C butter
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 tsp soda
1 C sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
Heat all ingredients together, stirring constantly. As soon as syrup boils take off heat and serve. 

ONE WEEK BEFORE THE BIG DAY - Let the Magic Begin!

LESS THAN ONE WEEK TO GO!  Here are some ideas to really put the Christmas magic over the top at your house!

#1- Santa gifts must be wrapped in paper NEVER before seen by children. 
Go to any store and purchase a paper with Santa on it or something that looks like it could be straight from him.  (That way it's exciting and more believeable that it came from the North Pole, Someday I hope to market special North Pole wrapping paper but haven't got to that this year)
Also get some really fancy bows and tags that look like something special.  Here is an example of some I got from Oriental Trading and love them because they look pretty authentic.  I have my neighbor write names on them so no handwriting tracing can go on. 

When the presents look very beautiful and extra special it helps with the "magic." Many people don't wrap Santa gifts and that is just fine.  The excitement is still there but if you want to really turn up the excitement level and anticipation wrap those gifts and look forward to a most magical morning.


#2- REINDEER FOOD
Not only does Santa need a treat but his reindeer do too.  This is such a fun idea for kids to do on Christmas Eve.  Here's the recipe and I tell my kids that it came straight from Santa himself. 
                                                        
                                       RECIPE:
                                             Combine:
                                                     1/3 C rolled oats
                                                     1 TBL glitter
                                                     1/4 C carrots
                                                                          Mix well
After you have made the recipe together, send the kids outside to sprinkle the mixture all over the grass, snow or outside of your home.  The glitter works on snow and grass (it's guides the reindeer to the food).


#3- SPECIAL SANTA KEY FOR FRONT DOOR
We have never lived in a house with a chimney so I  had to come up with this idea long ago when my children were worried that we had no way for Santa to come in the house.  I went to the nearest hardware store and had a front door key made in gold.  I added a ribbon to it and presented it to the kids.  They of course wanted to try it out so that is why it has to be a real key that will open your door.  Then before they go to bed we hang the key on the doorknob and it's ready for Santa. 


#4-  SANTA IN THE MALL OR PARTIES
Always tell your children that the Santa's they see in stores or parties are sent by Santa and are his special helpers.  Children will be very curious and questioning about fake beards and boots.  Explain that Santa has a special school that he himself trains all his helpers who get to dress like him and help him out during the Christmas season.  This will help them be reassured that because they see fake beards and boots the real Santa is still in the North Pole.


FUN IDEA to display all your Christmas cards: I learned this idea from my grandma and have been doing it since I got married.  We put all the Christmas cards we receive on our front door so that we can enjoy them but also anyone who comes to our home gets to enjoy them as well.  It keeps those we love in our thoughts each day of the season.